Kalos - English Edition
by Jafs
Summary: At the conflux of myself, I found you.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Mahou Shoujo** **Madoka Magica,** **Mahou Shoujo** **Suzune Magica** **and their characters.**

 **This fanfic is the ninth volume of Year Zero** **series** **, you can find it on my profile.**

 **This is an "engrish" translation. I am doing my best, but feel free to tell me if it is unreadable.**

* * *

Her own silent footsteps were making Matsuri nervous.

She could feel a firm ground beneath her feet in that world outside her barrier, but she could see nothing but white. The only thing that showed that she was making any progress in her walk was the floating chairs she approached and left behind.

She stopped. A swirling metal chair floated in front of her. With a light hit she sent it away.

The Law of Cycles was a disorienting place!

Matsuri looked back. She was not sure if she could get back from where she came from. Some girls who visited her barrier had invited her to explore this world, but she had refused, she was ashamed for knowing nothing.

 _I was stupid to try to do it by myself._

The green magical girl closed her eyes and the accessories in her hair began to glow. Hearing, smell, taste, touch... They all got sharper. She was like a radar now, searching for any sign that could help her.

Sounds of stepping on different materials.

Matsuri could not understand what that meant, but the source was approaching from a high point. She looked up and saw a girl jumping from chair to chair with ease. Suddenly a portal with a symbol of a witch appeared in midair, where the girl entered and both disappeared.

Matsuri was surprised, for the simple fact that was the first magical girl she had seen. She had no idea of the time she had spent during her exploration, but she hoped to have met someone long before. The place must have been vast, but there must also be a legion of girls living there.

 _Where is everyone? I want to find them..._

Now it was a deafening sound of a march. Matsuri jumped in shock at being so suddenly and undid her spell. She turned and saw a procession at a distance. There were dozens of magical girls led by a blonde in pink armor carrying a flag with an eight-pointed star symbol with a crown and wings.

A girl from the procession noticed and waved to Matsuri.

She timidly waved back and watched the procession move away. She wanted to find girls, but not be part of a battalion.

The procession faded until it disappeared. Matsuri squinted, not sure if there was any kind of fog or something.

A strand of pink hair descended to the height of her eyes, floating close to her face. She recoiled a little, surprised, and then searched for the source. What she found were more locks that were circling her. Feeling caged, she glanced around in haste, looking for an exit.

That was when she met the owner of the hair and her glowing golden eyes. "Matsuri-chan! HIIIIII!"

"Ahhh!" Matsuri jumped back, using her gauntlets as a shield.

"Oh... I scared you." The pink-haired girl was disappointed with herself. "I thought my hair would be enough to warn you of my presence."

"M-Madoka?" Matsuri raised her eyebrows. "Do you want to talk to me?"

"Of course!" Madoka smiled. "I'm glad to see you outside. Wehihi."

"Outside..." From the first time she saw her, Matsuri always found that divine girl very peculiar. She acted as if she were a child sometimes, while her white dress, extolling the feminine features of her body, denoted the maturity of an adult woman.

"What do you think?" asked Madoka.

Leaving Matsuri confused. "About... what?"

"This place." Madoka began to float, opened her arms, and spun.

Matsuri stepped back to avoid the long skirt and hair of the goddess.

Madoka landed. "You must have an opinion, since you are the witch of colors."

"Witch of colors? Yes, I am..." Even if she had accepted this truth, it was strange to talk about it so casually. "I'm not here for a long time, but this place seems more empty than I expected."

Madoka's smile grew more modest.

And Matsuri more nervous. "H-However this is far from true! There are other girls and... and chairs, lots of chairs. Beautiful chairs!"

"You're right." Madoka nodded. "The Law of Cycles can bring great solitude. It's a place rather... sterile."

The girl noticed that the golden glow of the goddess' eyes had faded to the point of revealing a subtle pink tone.

It was only a moment, then Madoka looked cheerful again. "That's why I'm counting on you girls to bring the colors!"

"Yes..." Matsuri lowered her head and smiled lightly. "And a great variety of them. There are girls not only from everywhere, but from other eras."

"That's right."

With the large metal fingers of her gauntlet, she tugged some of her hair behind her ear as she averted her gaze. "But... is not this chaotic? Although we have a common language..."

"And for all being magical girls," Madoka added, "but it's true that there're different cultures, ethnicities, flags... and even if they're from the same nation, there're enmities between some girls."

"And there are no fights?" Matsuri gathered her gauntlets close to her chest. "O-Or can you stop them?"

"Many of the petty conflicts end when the girls find themselves in the same situation." Madoka took and stroked one of her strands. "In some cases I intervene, but I'm not alone. You saw the girls."

"Did I?" Matsuri raised her eyebrows. "You mean that group led by that girl in armor?"

"She carries great faith and strength, and is a good friend, girls see a purpose in following her," Madoka replied, "right now they are on a mission to subdue some witches who are causing disturbances."

"Witches? You mean witches witches, right? I hear some girls can't get back to normal."

"It's true."

"Hmmm..." Thoughtful, Matsuri slid the tip of her metal fingers on her face. The subject was changing, but she had not settled her doubts. "Even if you can avoid the conflict, there must still be a constant tension. It must be very difficult to keep the peace with so many girls here and with so many who will still come."

"Space isn't a problem." Madoka smiled. "The Law of Cycles is infinite."

"Ah..." Matsuri looked at all the whiteness. "Yeah... I could feel that this place is huge."

The goddess raised her finger and spoke in a professorial tone, "It's not huge, it's infinite. Something is infinitely far as it's close, it's just a matter of will."

The girl was surprised. "You mean I can go wherever I want if I wish for that?"

"What you seek may be closer than you think. If two souls wish to meet, so it will be, but if one of them wants to keep away, then they will repel."

Matsuri murmured, "What I seek..."

 _Suzune._

She lowered her head. That would never be possible and she had an idea of why, she just needed to confirm. "So you can rescue girls from the past and the future, right? When they're about to become witches."

Madoka remained silent.

She understood it as a 'yes', then continued, "But if the soul gem is destroyed..."

"Then I can do nothing," replied Madoka.

As she had thought. Matsuri held the pendant on her hair, feeling the contents inside the small bag. Suzune would keep alive in her memories, as well as Chisato, Arisa, and... "Wait." She lifted her head with wide eyes. "Haruka..."

Madoka asked, "Haruka Kanade?"

"Yes! She..." Matsuri was confused. "I saw her become a witch in front of me. S-She wasn't rescued..."

"You keep memories of a past that no longer exists. I would not allow you to forget the time you're together, even if there is pain in it, for the efforts and sacrifices made will never be in vain." Madoka clasped her hands together and nodded. "Haruka Kanade is here."

Matsuri opened her mouth with the news, but did not smile. The goddess' serious expression said that something was wrong.

"However... She's one of those witches..."

It took some time to Matsuri say something, "W... Why...? Nothing can be done?"

"She's consumed by guilt of something she did in her past. Something she didn't share with you." Madoka stared at the infinity as she touched the gems on her chest. "I know you want to see her, but she shouldn't recognize you, and if she recognized you, I'm not sure if it wouldn't be worse. So does your sister."

"Ka..." The name stuck in Matsuri's throat. True, her sister had also become a witch and should be in the Law of Cycles as well. The last time she had spoken to her, Kagari had brainwashed herself. "She remained a witch too..." If her sister recognized her, there would be only hatred.

"In one case, yes."

"In one case?"

Madoka frowned. "Don't you remember?"

"Of what?" Matsuri shook her head. Had she forgotten something? Could it be that her memories were still altered by the magic of her sister even after her death? It was then that she noticed the strands of hair of the goddess that surrounded her closing, forming a dark cocoon. It was not completely dark, for her gauntlets emitted a faint green light.

And there was the golden glow of Madoka's eyes, much closer than before. "I want to show you something."

Matsuri turned her face and as soon as she did, she saw the strands of hair pull away and the cocoon undone.

While the goddess lamented, "Oh no, I ended up scaring you again. I'll solve it now!"

Matsuri was perplexed as the long strands faded, disappearing into the whiteness of the landscape. Even more when she saw that Madoka had changed, now she wore a white and pink dress, with a ruffled skirt. Her hair was now shorter, with red bows, and a single pink gem attached to her neck. "What? These are the uniform of a magical girl..."

"Isn't that better?" With her eyes of gold, Madoka winked and stuck her tongue.

"Hmmm... Maybe." Matsuri was still processing that when Madoka got even closer, the skirts of both girls pressing against each other. At this distance she could see that the goddess was rather short.

"I want you to see a bit of what I see," said Madoka, "but you get scared easy, so I ask you to close your eyes."

Matsuri obeyed the request, but without any idea what it would be. Then she felt the other girl's delicate glove on her face, fingers pressing her eyelids.

"There you go! You can open it now."

It was fast. As soon as the goddess' fingers were gone, she opened her eyes and met Madoka's smiling face... and a crowd of girls behind her, all with similar hair.

No. It was not just the hair, but all the rest, it was not only similar, but familiar.

It was her, countless 'her', scattered over the endless white, like rice fields rippling with the wind.

Seeing her gape, Madoka said, "It's what you're thinking. All of these are you who are here in the Law of Cycles, coming from every universe, every possibility. "Then she pulled Matsuri through one of her metal fingers. "Come on! Don't worry, they won't feel our presence."

The two entered and walked through the crowd. When Madoka said she would see a little of what the goddess sees, Matsuri did not think it would be so literally. The other Matsuri were like ghosts, she could not touch or hear them. Some of them seemed to be talking to someone, others were distracted by something, and there were also those going somewhere, but they all had something in common that left Matsuri who was watching them curious. "They're all younger..."

"They came here with the age they had," Madoka replied, as a specter passed through her, "but they'll grow up."

"That means..." Matsuri's eyes widened. "Have I become a witch so early?"

Madoka stopped and turned to her. "Well, you're a special case, Matsuri-chan, coming from a fragmented timeline."

The green magic girl did not know which face to use, "Fragmented timeline?"

Madoka gestured frantically, grimacing. "I know! I know! It's kind of complicated, I won't go into details. It's too nerdy."

Matsuri continued with her expression froze. "Okay."

"What I want to explain to you is that in other universes witches were never born and the concept of magical girls as you know never existed," Madoka laid a hand on her gem, "but the hopeful wishes still make their souls shine."

She clenched her gauntlets. "So Kyuubey still makes contracts. For the sake of the universe..."

Madoka nodded.

"And there are still soul gems. How are they cleansed if there're no witches and grief seeds?"

"They aren't."

The simple answer of the goddess provoked a reaction in Matsuri, not of confusion, but of suspicion. She went back to watching her younger versions as her breathing had more pauses.

Madoka waited in silence and calmly.

The contrast between the two grew. Matsuri hardened the look on her face. "No..." She closed her eyes tightly. "In other universes, I wanted to heal my blindness, right? Kyuubey deceived me..."

"She didn't fool you." Madoka's answer made the other girl startle, but she continued, "Unable to usurp the cycle of hope and despair in its fullness, Kyuubey doesn't hold the same interest you must be remembering. They looked for other ways to get energy, our world just remained as a promising experiment."

Matsuri asked her with an intense voice, "How come he didn't fool me?"

"You asked the price of your wish and he said it would be your li-"

With her gauntlets, Matsuri grabbed Madoka, who held her composure. The golden eyes reflected the other girl's anger.

"This is absurd! I would never accept that offer!" Matsuri looked at that vastness of her counterparts from other universes. "Never! Never..."

"Don't you remember? You haven't always met Tsubaki-san."

"Tsubaki..." Matsuri sought to remember her childhood, to remember that woman, not her appearance, but her voice, her scent, her tenderness... but it was accompanied by images of herself and her sister, where everything was so cold and empty. She had a feeling that it was the same time, but it did not make the slightest sense.

"After your mother died, what did you feel about yourself?"

Surprised by such a personal question, Matsuri did not know what to think. It was then that she noticed that her gauntlets were dripping a colored liquid, which stained Madoka's skirt. She released her. "S-Sorry..."

Madoka was still calm, but serious now. "I know your past, but I want to hear from you."

Matsuri looked down and sighed. She opened her mouth a few times until she could speak, "I... I saw myself as a dead weight. My father needed to work and my sister took care of me. She loved me, but... but she was just a child."

"Your father hired some caretakers," said Madoka, "They were good professionals, but they avoided an affectionate relationship with the two of you. Tsubaki-san never stepped into your home. Can you remember now?"

Matsuri shook her head. "I don't know."

"You're afraid to know, but it's important," Madoka continued, "without Tsubaki-san, your self-esteem got much worse and Kyuubey saw the opportunity to make an offer. Being able to see your family was your last request."

Matsuri lowered her gaze, pressed her lips together and nodded, then asked, "Were they happy?"

"Yes. They couldn't believe this miracle, they attributed the recovery of your sight to the spirit of your mother. Your father tried to hide it so you wouldn't stop at the news."

Matsuri returned to look at Madoka, "And my sister? Didn't she know?"

"Kyuubey had only contacted you. Throughout the remaining time you had, even when you were losing your strength, you hid it from her."

It seemed surreal. Matsuri covered her mouth with one of her gauntlets. "I... I've lied to everyone. I can't... I..."

With a subtle smile, Madoka declared, "You two are so alike."

"Huh?"

"Maybe you can better understand what your sister did now." Madoka examined the colored spots on her skirt, especially the green and purple, and how they complement each other. "Only then will you really be able to forgive her."

"And I want to... thank you." Matsuri swallowed hard, trying not to cry. "But what happened next?"

"After you were taken by the Law of Cycles?" Madoka closed her eyes. "Your father despaired, while your sister immediately suspected it had something to do with the miracle that had occurred. She ventured to explore the city alone, searching for answers." Then Madoka opened them slowly. "And Kyuubey had them."

A chill ran down Matsuri's spine. "Don't tell me that..."

Madoka did not obey her request. "He made the same offer. Due to circumstances, your sister had no more patience and wished Kyuubey to tell the truth about you. When she found out, she soon came here."

"So..." Matsuri turned her face. "My father lost his two daughters, no matter how..."

Madoka said nothing and looked down. A black vein had appeared on her forearm. She covered with her hand and took a deep breath, when she removed it was no longer there.

Matsuri looked at one of the 'other Matsuri' who were opening their mouths to speak. "This one is talking to who? Could be..."

Madoka flashed a smile. "Yes, your sister."

"It's good to know..." She continued to watch. Despite the story she had just heard being tragic, she had a certain sense of satisfaction, maybe that was the best end. Something caught her attention, one version of her seemed to be taller than the others.

Madoka followed her.

Matsuri found someone like her, oddly sitting on a pile of books, seemed to be focused, watching something. "This one has my age."

"A few months younger," replied the pinkette, "she's a special case, just like you."

"Special case?" Matsuri raised her eyebrows and shook her head. "It would be about that fragmented time-"

A strange manifestation was occurring before the green magical girl. It was a cloud of static that took the form of a pale person, with a white cloak that covered his body, while his face was difficult to discern.

Matsuri knew very well why, it was because of the miasma. "A demon?!" She readied her gauntlets, in a fighting stance.

The demon disappeared in the blink of an eye.

However, it would not be the same for Matsuri's memories. She looked at Madoka. "A demon..."

She winked. "I did it to help you remember."

And it was working. It was coming one after another, overwhelming her. "I remember Tsubaki... in her magical girl's uniform! And with her was..."

"Suzune-chan."

Matsuri gaped hearing that name from Madoka.

"In this world, she had enough grief cubes to keep her and Suzune-chan's gem purified. She never disappeared."

"Yes..." Matsuri looked away and began to blink, an expression of strangeness. "And she brought Suzune to our house."

Madoka nodded. "Your father insisted, Tsubaki-san had shared with him about her. It wasn't a rash decision."

Matsuri agreed, "The first times Suzune came, it was just as a visitor. She and my sister got along really well, after all she could play with someone who could see..."

Madoka looked at her in an inquisitive way.

Matsuri smiled. "I was happy too, the house was much more alive since mom's death." But it soon stopped. "When Suzune moved in with us, Kyuubey spoke to me for the first time."

"With two magical girls living with you this was inevitable."

Matsuri touched her green gem tied on her hair. "Tsubaki... Tsubaki found out and had a very serious conversation with me. About the demons and how dangerous it's to be a magical girl, that healing my blindness wouldn't be worth the risk, medicine is always advancing..."

"Kagari-chan had another opinion."

"Yes..." Madoka must have known the story already, but Matsuri continued to tell with her own words as the memories came. "She already knew about the magical girls through Suzune, a secret kept between them. Suzune told my sister that she had been saved by Tsubaki from the demons, but she had come too late to save her parents. She wanted to be a magical girl like Tsubaki, because if she had been like Tsubaki in that tragic moment, her parents might be alive."

Madoka nodded. "Your sister didn't want to lose anyone else either."

"It was hard to live with Tsubaki and Suzune, knowing they might be risking their lives one day or another." Matsuri pressed her lips together. "Tsubaki was more nervous after she talked to me. My sister was afraid she would leave, so we made a pact."

There was a silence, where Madoka waited.

Matsuri shook her head and smiled at the naivete. "We became magical girls together. I wished to heal my blindness, while my sister wished to guard our family from all danger. Tsubaki didn't like what we did, but she wouldn't abandon us."

Madoka then spoke, "With your miraculous healing, it was years of complete happiness for your family."

"My father even asked Tsubaki in marriage, but she refused. It didn't matter." Matsuri crossed her gauntlets over her chest, feeling warmer. "We were growing up and fighting the demons together." But her heart raced. "Until that night..."

Madoka joined hands. "Your sister."

"Kagari had great affinity with danger. She could sense it, she was even able to read someone's mind if such a person wanted to harm us, but most of all, she could manipulate it," Matsuri said bitterly, "that night was like the others, yet I remember my sister said to be careful. We did it, no one tried to do anything different, but it wasn't enough."

Madoka saw the other girl breathe deeply.

"Suzune's main role was to intercept demons that were scattered to keep our flanks safe. She told me she was killing one when she was surrounded by a group of them. They had been reborn from grief cubes, seemingly left behind by another magical girl. She was seriously injured." Matsuri hugged herself. "I heard her scream, but my sister was already on the way, she had felt it before me. She used her magic and drew the attention of all demons to her, it was too much... When Tsubaki and I arrived, there were still some demons. We defeat them, but..." She closed her eyes.

Madoka too.

Matsuri's voice was painful. "My sister... there were only pieces of her. We tried to purify the soul gem, but it darkened too quickly, so she disappeared."

"She's here."

"At that time we heard about the Law of Cycles, but believing it was so difficult..." Matsuri shook her head. "Tsubaki didn't dare tell my father that Kagari wouldn't come back. S-She said she would look for her and left us, taking Suzune with her. It was so cruel to witness my father's hope..." She gritted her teeth as she re-opened her eyes. "Fortunately there was a supply of grief cubes, but I feared that I had to hunt demons alone sooner or later. However, one day, Suzune returned. Tsubaki had disappeared too."

"Tsubaki-san felt responsible for all of you, she couldn't bear it," commented Madoka.

"I know... My father was happy with Suzune's return, so was I, but I wasn't relieved, because Suzune was different. She told me that she had argued with Tsubaki about whose fault it was. With the disappearance of Tsubaki, Suzune started to believe that she was guilty of everything. She even told me that she had 'killed' them both."

Keeping a calm expression, Madoka watched Matsuri contract the muscles of her face.

"We weren't in a condition to fight demons, but the cubes were running out. It was a very difficult night, Suzune was being reckless. I could feel the anger in each of her attacks, without taking into account what was happening around her. She ended up being surrounded like that time." Tears began to fall down her face. "I gave my all to save her. My body was... torn apart. We defeated them, but I had no more strength, I couldn't use my arms to purify my gem and Suzune was very hurt too. That's when a light came up, I thought it was more demons, but..."

Madoka smiled. "It was me."

Matsuri nodded quickly. "I remember now that you said I didn't have to be afraid, but I feared, I feared Suzune would see me disappear, just like Tsubaki and Kagari. I didn't want to, but when she asked who you are, then..."

In a long sigh, Madoka raised her eyebrows. "It was a very unique universe. Suzune-chan put a lot of guilt on her own shoulders, forgetting Kagari-chan's will. Your sister is a very passionate person, who goes to the extreme for something, for better or worse."

"You're right... and I believe Suzune was, too."

Madoka continued, "You too are a person with great passion."

Matsuri frowned. "Me?! I don't think that..."

"Don't you have a promise?"

The question made Matsuri frown even more.

"In spite of so many tragedies, you haven't faltered and held until now, for you feel that this is a part of her that you carry with you. Suzune is so grateful to have you in her life."

Matsuri's eyes flashed with the new tears and she could no longer hold her cry.

Madoka hugged her, without speaking, there was nothing more to say.

In the white silence, a wail echoed, carrying with it the pain of the witch.

Matsuri opened her mouth and exhaled. Seeing the other Matsuri smiling had helped her to stop.

Feeling the gauntlets gently pushing her, Madoka pulled away.

"Thank you," said Matsuri, expressing a subtle smile, "I feel lighter now, stronger."

"You did the right thing."

Matsuri smiled more, wiping away her tears. She returned to look at the other Matsuri. "I think I've taken so much of your time, you must have so many girls to visit and talk..."

"Wehihi, I'm always busy." Madoka winked and raised her index finger. "But don't worry~! I love what I do."

"Haha, I guess..." Matsuri looked at the white sky and floating chairs. "You said that I just need to wish for it, so if I think about my barrier, I'll be there."

"Oh... I thought you wanted to go there."

"Huh? Where?" Matsuri followed the golden gaze to the other Matsuri who was sitting on the pile of books, then widened her eyes. "Is-Is it possible?"

Madoka put her hands on her waist and leaned toward the other girl. "Sure!"

"That would be strange..." Matsuri scratched her forehead.

"What's the problem? It's you."

She had no arguments against that statement, but the fear persisted. "And how?"

"That only you can answer," said Madoka.

Still confused by this idea, Matsuri decided to get closer to the other version of her.

While Madoka remained where she was. "What is she doing?"

These were the answers she needed to find. Matsuri put her head on the other Matsuri's shoulder, focusing on the direction she was still looking.

"What is she thinking?"

It must have been something very important, she felt it. Her head seemed to be boiling with so many memories to organize, could she remember her other lives in the Law of Cycles?

The white was gone, the void was filled. The atmosphere had completely changed, a subtle yellowish tone, the smell of old pages. Matsuri realized that she was looking at a board with small round stones, some are black and others are white, arranged on it forming groups according to their color. The board lay on top of other stacks of books, which formed an improvised table.

In fact the floor and walls, even ceiling, were constructed with books, of different covers, in their colors as well as the titles written with runes.

"Wait, you're cheating again."

That voice. Matsuri looked at the person sitting to her right. Eyes red as fire, a long loose hair with the color of ashes. The red soul gem of the magical girl hung in a pendant around her neck and her uniform was a gray and white overcoat.

"Suzune~~, oh Suzune~... You'll start to cry again, what a sore loser."

Matsuri looked at the person sitting to her left. She was similar to Matsuri, but she had purple eyes, the same color as the soul gem that was on her chest, in the center of a butterfly-shaped decoration. Her dark purple hair had long strands forming arcs behind her head, one for each side. Her skirt dress was also predominantly purple, with her waist and belly exposed, and a large yellow bow tied on her back.

"I still haven't lost," Suzune said, "but I feel like the board was different before, you messed with my perception of it, Kagari."

Stunned, Matsuri did not know who to look at.

Kagari crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "I don't need to brainwash to defeat you in _Go_. Strategy and long-term goals have never been your strengths, uhuuuh~..."

Suzune narrowed her eyes and smirked. "You don't have the guts to challenge someone to something that you think she's 'inferior' to you."

Kagari bacame serious. "I won't keep listening accusations. We have someone to sort it out, right sis?"

With eyes as open as her mouth, Matsuri said, "Hi?"

"What's up?" asked Kagari.

"I..." Matsuri looked at Suzune, who was also a little confused. It was true, she was the referee of that game, she had to remember, no, the memories were already in her mind, they always were. Every stone that was being put on the board, every territory formed, every capture... She had paid attention to everything. "I just don't like to see you two fighting."

Kagari sighed and returned her attention to Suzune with disapproval. "See what you started? You left her sad..."

The gray magic girl did not give in. "If you hadn't cheated, none of this would have happened."

"I didn't cheat!" Kagari smiled at Matsuri. "And my dearest sister will confirm that, won't you?"

Seeing her sister raise her eyebrows, Matsuri shared the smile. Yes, she remembered everything. "Sorry Suzune, because my sister cheated again. At one point I noticed that you were making silly mistakes and losing, but you were confident in your moves, as if you were certain you were winning."

"You didn't even hesitate..." Kagari grieved, lowering her gaze. "How one sister can be so cruel to another..."

"I knew it!" exclaimed Suzune. "When will you learn to compete straight and clean?"

Matsuri had not finished. "I also need to say that Suzune wasn't honest in this game."

The girl's red eyes widened as her body shuddered.

While the other's purple eyes became lively. "Oh, really~?"

Matsuri nodded. "Sister, there were times you weren't paying attention to the board, so Suzune created mirages to change the colors of some stones to deceive you."

"How nice~, she used Tsubaki's magic for something so..." Kagari put her hand with purple glove in front of her mouth and whispered, "... immoral..."

"I shouldn't have done that." Suzune gritted her teeth. "But I knew you would cheat, I wanted to compensate."

"You weren't absolutely sure of that, it was just a wild guess." Taken by the epiphany, Kagari pointed at her. "That means you cheated first!"

Suzune retorted, "You already intended to cheat before the game even started!"

"Are you trying to save your face with that?!" Kagari made a smug. "Suzune~~, don't be shy, admit, you wanted to feel the taste of beating someone better than youUuUuuu~."

"Only if it's who is the best cheater. At least I can try to save my face..."

Matsuri was curled up in that heated argument between the two. That was when she heard the sound of a bell and sweeping, there was someone outside. She got up without them noticing, and went to an exit.

It was a fantastic sight.

Where she was, in fact, was a house built of books. The backyard was filled with cherry blossoms, contrasting with the yellow sky. The petals fell continuously, covering all the ground.

And there was a woman using a broom to clean it, one that Matsuri knew very well.

With a long black hair and violet eyes, wearing a kimono with red upper part and lower purple part, separated by a belt tied with a yellow bow behind, Tsubaki Mikoto noticed the presence. "Hi."

Walking on the petals, Matsuri approached her slowly.

Tsubaki stopped what she was doing. "They're fighting again, aren't they? You must be tired." She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I don't think they'll ever get used to the peace."

Matsuri hugged her tightly.

"Eh?!" Surprised, Tsubaki dropped her broom. "What happened?"

Pressing her face against her body, Matsuri could not describe what she felt. "I... just... wanted to do that."

"Oh..." Tsubaki stroked her protege's head, then noticed something. "What's that stuck in your hair?" It was a pendant with a bell and a small purse. Tsubaki pulled the pendant from her own hair and compared it, confirming that both were the same.

Matsuri saw it, not knowing what to say.

But Tsubaki smiled. "Did you remember something?"

"Yes..." Trying not to cry, Matsuri bowed her head and nodded quickly.

While Tsubaki looked up at the sky. "Look!"

Matsuri raised her head. With the yellow as a backdrop, there was a great pink aurora dancing in the firmament.

"Madoka is watching us," Tsubaki affirmed.

Matsuri was certain of it, so much that she moved her lips without making any sound, forming words.

" _Thank you for everything._ "

* * *

 **And with that we reached the end of Matsuri's arc, but, of course, the series is not over yet.**

 **Those who read the other volumes may have noticed a pattern after 'Visionary'. In 'Guardian' was a story with Kyouko and Sayaka, while 'Love' the focus was on Nagisa and Mami.**

 **Yes, the next fic 'Memento' will be with Madoka and Homura. Being the main characters of the franchise, it will be a very special story. It should be as big as 'Guardian', perhaps bigger, there is still much to define.**

 **Be patient or make contracts with Kyuubey, it is up to you. Haha!**

 **Jafs**


End file.
